Recipes for the ultimate Thanksgiving

First celebrated in 1621, Thanksgiving must be one of America’s oldest traditions. The first ever Thanksgiving feast was held in Massachusetts to celebrate the good harvest, and supposedly lasted three days – what better way to celebrate than eating most of it in one sitting?

We’ve got loads of lovely seasonal recipes that are perfect for Thanksgiving, whether you’re hosting an intimate affair or catering for the entire extended family. As well that that, we’ve always got lots of tips for making your life a little easier too, so you’re not in the kitchen when the fun is happening in the other room.

Let’s start with the most important thing. Stuff this up and your feast is in trouble; however, stuff this right and your feast is made. So follow Jamie’s awesome tips for a perfect turkey. It’s all in the little details – the flavoured butters, the clementines inside and the mix of herbs.

Roast potatoes are a side so beloved in Britain that they honestly play a pivotal role in our roasts, and for this reason we suggest you get them involved in your Thanksgiving feast this year. A crispy-on-the-outside and fluffy-on-the-inside roast potato is a rare and beautiful thing, but it needn’t be; Jamie’s tip of lightly mashing them half was through roasting will guarantee crispy skins, because more surface area hits the oil, and that little hint of garlic makes them all the more moreish.

Nut roast

This year we’re getting properly behind the veggies and vegans with this utterly amazing nut roast recipe in a spicy sauce. Serve this up next to the turkey watch as all the meat eaters turn in envy. Watch Jamie cooking it up below.

If we could give you one tip to ensure your Thanksgiving feast tastes incredible, it would be to get the gravy right – you can burn the turkey, overcook the beans and forget about the stuffing, but cover your meal in a good gravy and no one will care. This one can be made in advance so you’re not running around like a headless turkey making it on the day, and it’s simply the tastiest gravy we’ve ever tried.

Pumpkin punch cocktail

You’ve got to get the party started somehow, and what could be better than a warming pumpkin-flavoured punch to ladle out to guests as they come through the door? The answer is nothing. Nothing at all.

And if you’re looking for something warming to end the evening, this ultimate hot chocolate from Jamie’s Comfort Food will keep the kids (and adults) happy.

Who needs gluten when things can taste so good without? This is, hands down, the creamiest, sweetest most moreish pumpkin pie ever made. Why is it so good? Because it was made with Fifteen’s head chef Jon Rotheram – watch him cook it up here.

So, happy Thanksgiving, one and all – it’s hard not to be jealous of you from across the pond.